1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information notification method thereof which notifies external devices of information of failures and the like occurring at image creation devices such as printers, and a control program for executing the information notification method.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in image creation devices such as printers, when an error requiring repair by a service personnel (service call error) occurs, systems are known wherein the service call error information is sent via a network to a host server at a service center of the manufacturer or distributor, and the service center side responds to such errors by dispatching service personnel to repair the image creation device at which the service call error occurred.
In addition, examples of methods of coping with errors occurring in devices such as image creation devices are as provided below.
(1) Jam information, and history information for ten most recent jams for locations of recurring jams, are received from the image creation device to determine whether or not a visit by a service personnel is necessary (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-321931).(2) Upon occurrence of internal error, power is shut off after a state information of the error occurrence is stored in a shift register, and the error status is displayed when power is turned back on (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S56-108151).(3) Flags are checked upon power-on to see whether or not a shutdown was a result of continuous errors occurring within a predetermined amount of time, and if so, the device is activated in an error occurrence state corresponding to a stored error type information (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-332581).
The devices disclosed in these patent literatures can also formulate a system similar to the above-described system wherein error information is sent to a host server via a network upon occurrence of error.
However, the above-described conventional systems had the following problems.
For instance, when a service call error occurs at a device, after the service call error information is notified to the host server, a user may attempt recovery from the error by shutting the power of the device down and then turning it back on (hereinafter referred to as “power off/on operation”). When the error of the device is recovered and a normal status is obtained by such power off/on operation, conventional systems were configured so as to not notify the host server accordingly since it no longer constituted a state of error occurrence.
However, as a result, since the service center side is unaware of the fact that the service call error had been recovered, problems such as erroneously contacting the user or dispatching a service personnel exist.
When a service call error is restored by, for instance, a power off/on operation by a user, even when the device has a normal status, it is desirable that the host server is notified of the normal status when necessary.